Showing Success with my Veteran Pony

My pony - ‘Tamaals Spring Valentine’ is a 22 year old Chestnut Part-bred Arab Gelding whom I have owned for the last fifteen years. As an extremely fussy feeder, who doesn‘t keep the weight on easily, I have struggled to find a feed that he stays interested in which also keeps him in Show condition!

When you launched the SPILLERS® Senior range a couple of years ago - it immediately got my attention and I was keen to try it! I haven’t looked back since and he still polishes off every last morsel!

I show him at County and National Level in the Cherif Ridden Qualifiers and In-hand Part-bred Arab classes (where we compete against horses/ponies of all ages!) as well as competing in the Ridden VHS Olympia Qualifiers.

He is a super pony with manners to burn and he tries his heart out wherever we go. He loves the buzz and excitement of the shows and is a real Showman when he’s in the ring - You would not believe the amount of judges who can not believe his age when they ask me in the ring! When one judge asked me at a show last year “How old?” I said “21 years” he replied with “No, not you, how old is your horse?”!! - I was flattered that he thought that I looked twenty-one!!! And even more thrilled when he said “He looks more like a 12yr Old!”

Our Showing successes since feeding him on SPILLERS® Senior Conditioning Mix

• August 2004 - Monmouth County Show. We qualified for the 2005 Cherif Championship Show (For Ridden Part-bred and Anglo Arabs of all ages)
• September 2004 - Riding Club National Championships in Lincolnshire. We won the Evergreen Pony of The Year Championship.
• July 2005 - Wessex Region AHS Show, at Royal Bath & West Showground. We were 1st and Reserve Champion in the Ridden Cherif Qualifier and 1st and Reserve Champion in the Amateur Produced Section.
• July 2005 - National Arab Championships in Malvern. We were second in the Ridden Part-breds (against horses / ponies who were a quarter of his age!). We won the Veteran In-hand Class, which qualified us to compete in the Open Part-bred Arab Gelding Championship later that day where we were 2nd Reserve British National Champion! The judge was thrilled with his condition and type and commended me for him looking so well at his age!
• August 2005 - Chepstow County. We were 1st and Champion in the Ridden Arab Section and 1st and Champion in the VHS Ridden Veteran Qualifier - Qualifying for the Wales Regional Final that September.
• September 2005 - VHS Welsh Regional Final, Shropshire. We were third - narrowly missing out on qualifying for Olympia - (maybe next year!!)
• Mid-September 2005 - Cherif Finals Championship Show, Buckinghamshire - our biggest competition. EVER! He was foot perfect - despite my nerves! We had 9/10 from one judge for our individual show! We were Reserve Amateur Points Champion and were also awarded with the ‘Golden Sunrise Cherif Shield’ for the oldest equine competing at the Championships! - What a brilliant way to end our season!!

I would just like to thank you all at SPILLERS® for coming up with the Senior range of feeds as my pony has never looked and been so well! As you will see he has done extremely well at 21yrs of age competing at top level against horses and ponies from 5yrs of age - and doing it with style!

Unfortunately he is off work with a leg injury at this moment in time but we hope to return to the show ring soon!! He is currently enjoying the SPILLERS® Senior Maintenance Mix while he is convalescing - and loving every mouthful of it too!!

Many thanks again,
Jo Spensley